Posts Tagged ‘Jack Larsen’

FESTIVALS

By Allan R. Ellenberger

Cinecon 48 is history! The annual festival began last Thursday and ended yesterday and over the course of five days screened 43 classic films, shorts and documentaries at the legendary Egyptian Theater. Among the films shown were such rare gems as 15 Maiden Lane (1936) starring Claire Trevor and Caesar Romero and directed by Allan Dwan; the silent, Wild Bill Hickcok (1923) played by Cinecon favorite, William S. Hart; the crowd pleasing bio-pic, Diamond Jim (1935), the story of James Buchanan Brady, fondly known as “Diamond Jim,” starring Edward Arnold in the title role and Jean Arthur in a supporting role.

Other highlights included The Goose Woman (1925), The Bedroom Window (1924), and the Kate Smith film, Hello, Everybody! (1933). Some of my favorites include Diamond Jim, Upstream (1927), the once-lost John Ford film about vaudevillians starring Raymond Hitchcock and Grant Withers, the Cecil B. DeMille scenario, The Circus Man (1914), She Wanted a Millionaire (1932) with Joan Bennett and Spencer Tracy and the documentary about the Silent Movie Theatre, Palace of Silents.

Some of the special guests who appreared this year and talked about their filmes were Marsha Hunt, Phyllis Coates, Richard L. Bare, Samantha Eggar and Carleton Carpenter.

Phyllis Coates,Richard L. Bare and Carleton Carpenter were honored at this years Cinecon banquet with the Career Acheivement award. Carpenter was presented with his award by his Two Weeks With Love (1950) costar, Debbie Reynolds. The couple sang their hit song from the film, Aba Daba Honeymoon to a very appreciative audience. Jack Larson, best-known as Jimmy Olsen on TV’s Superman, presented his former costar, Phyllis Coates with her award. Coates played Lois Lane on the series first season. Director Richard L. Bare, who directed such classic television shows as Green Acres, Petticoat Junction and several episodes of the Twilight Zone was given his award by Linda Henning who played Betty Jo on Petticoat Junction.

There was a great selection of films shown at this year’s Cinecon and the banquet was one of the most entertaining in recent years. Many thanks to the Cinecon officers and committee: Robert S. Birchard, Jim Harwood, Marvin Paige, Stan Taffel, Sharon Arndt, Bryan Cooper, Stella Grace, Sue Guldin, Danny Schwartz and Maureen Solomon.

Cinecon honorees, Richard L. Bare and Phyllis Coates. Bare and Coates were once husband and wife for less than ten months (1948-1949). At one point Bare asked her about their marriage and she held her thumb and index finger about an inch apart and said, “It lasted this long… but it was interesting.”